Gifts of the Khala
by Tr3adst0ne
Summary: Raynor plots on making a big steal from the Dominion, putting a dent to their reign and help the people of Aegis III. He would soon find he got more than what he bargained for. *Chapter 2 uploaded*
1. Chapter 1

**Gifts of the Khala  
By Tr3adst0ne**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own StarCraft or The Antioch Chronicles. The former belongs solely to Blizzard Entertainment while the latter belongs to Auspex Turmalis and Zeus Legion.**

**Rated T for language and violence **

**Synopsis: Raynor plots on making a big steal from the Dominion, putting a dent to their reign and help the people of Aegis III. He would soon find he got more than what he bargained for. **

**Introductory Author's Note: The story takes place two years prior to the events in Wings of Liberty. Several of the characters present in this story are from a custom campaign for the first StarCraft called The Antioch Chronicles. Although not necessary to play, it is highly recommended to play the two episodes that actually made production in order to get the references that may occasionally appear throughout. **

**In the meantime, enjoy the story. **

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**Chapter 1: Deals**

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Raider Flagship _**Hyperion**_**  
Kirfal System**

Commander James Raynor sat alone amidst a group of varied crewmembers on the mess decks. He was wanted across the Koprulu Sector for crimes of larceny, terrorism, murder and theft. When he served in the Sons of Korhal, they were right. But there was a flip side to every story; his being that he believed that under Arcturus Mengsk, he was serving a good cause. The Confederacy was nothing more than a corrupt regime hell-bent on stealing resources and depriving the people of their livelihoods, and they needed to be taken down. Their inaction during the Protoss invasion of the Sara system gave the opening Mengek needed in order to fight the Confederates. For a while the odds stacked in the rebel faction's favor.

When the SOK forces reached Tarsonis, Mengsk's true face was revealed: he abandoned Kerrigan when she called him out on the use of psi-emitters on unarmed civilians. Vengeance and power was all that mattered to him. The self-proclaimed 'Emperor' obtained that with ease, wiping out more than two billion people with the use of these devices, luring hundreds upon thousands of Zerg and thereby ending the Confederacy as a galactic power within the Koprulu Sector. Raynor and many sympathizers became disgusted at the lengths their former leader was willing to go in order to achieve his goals. By then they left the Sons of Korhal, leading to the formation of Raynor's Raiders.

Not long after the destruction of the Confederates, the Dominion came to power. Raynor remembered in disdain every single word uttered by Mengsk through Universal News during the proclamation. Words such as unity and strength echoed through his mind. The problem that stood out to him was that Mengsk knew how to sell to people ideas, and he had done so many times before through oratory and political finesse.

It is these skills that led media sources to portray Raynor as nothing more than what Mengsk was, a thug that employed terrorist tactics and murdered civilians in order to secure a bid for power. While the news far from the truth, the Raiders were slowly being demoralized due to this marginalization effect. Those who served and knew him personally believed that he was a hero, someone to be respected and feared. The lack of food, ammunition and other necessary materials to continue the war effort was needed. He needed to do something drastic.

Looking down on the table, he picked up the data pad in front of him and sifted through the details. The governor of Aegis III issued a call for help in the form of medical supplies and food. They didn't have much in the form of credits, so it wasn't a very lucrative option for the Raiders to pursue. His heart on the other hand, told him that he shouldn't be in it for the money. He tossed the metal plate and leaned his head back slightly, bitter thoughts clouding his mind: _Funny how reality spits right on your face_.

Annoyed, Raynor took a swig of his whiskey before his contact stepped through the doors of the cantina. Sporting a pair of shades and an attitude to match, Graven Hill was a contractor of different mercenaries that provided services to the highest bidder. While his moral standing was questionable, the quality of the information and connections that he gave Raynor over the months during his campaign against the Dominion proved invaluable.

In spite of all that, his shady demeanor still kept the ex-marshal on the defensive. If he became too reliant on Hill's services then he would've been on the deep end. Raynor slipped his right index finger on the trigger of his revolver hidden under the table. The rebel commander prayed he would never need to use it. Money was a good motivator, but there were times when getting a person to help a cause become too greedy, leading the helper to be put out like a dog.

"Mr. Hill," the ex-marshal greeted.

"Ah, Mr. Raynor. Good to see you again. To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?"

"You got something for me?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Hill answered, fishing out a small disc inside his vest before placing it on the table and sliding it in the commander's direction. "This is all of the intel that's been recently acquired from a contact of mine."

Raynor took the disc and inserted it into his laptop, sifting through bits and pieces of information. He noticed the fleet deployments had gradually increased inside the neighboring Tornod system. What was once a lightly guarded system turned out to be a region of well-kept secrets and chaos. Raynor suspected that there must be something valuable on the colony worth taking and giving to the people of Aegis III. He needed to know what exactly Mengsk's forces were hiding.

"Is it true that the Dominion's digging up Xel'Naga artifacts hidden in the Aegis system?"

The contractor shook his head, hearing the mysterious race that created both Protoss and Zerg in his business circles. "Yeah. Whatever they are, it looks like they don't want anybody else to get their hands on those relics except their own."

"What would be the reaction if we managed to steal the relics from them?"

"Typical Dominion response in anticipation to any sort of intrusion would be to keep troops in close proximity to escort the convoys carrying the artifacts. There are also a large number of warships that regularly patrol the system to keep the Zerg and the Protoss from invading, as well as keep any thieves from escaping should they even attempt to _take_ the artifacts."

Raynor leaned his head in and studied the sensor maps. "It looks like they got Explorers and Behemoths scattered at different entry points. Many of the routes are blocked by debris or the Dominion's own ships. I gotta say, they do have the system locked up tight."

"Whatever you intend to do, it's going to be risky. To make things worse, there's a battlecruiser called the _Imperius_ commanding the fleet," Hill added.

"Who's her captain?"

Hill shifted the pictures on the laptop to another image of a finely-groomed yet tough-looking Dominion officer. "This guy's name is Morrison. Served as commander of one of the assault groups that defeated Delta and Omega Squadron troops stationed near one of the primary platforms before Tarsonis was overrun."

The ex-marshal took a good look and recognized the face of his enemy. "I remember him. He's good in ship combat."

"Then you got yourself a big problem. How do you intend to steal the artifacts?" Hill asked.

"Just leave that to me, I'll figure something out." Raynor grinned. He wanted to conduct an operation and take whatever relics the Dominion kept out of their hands and sell them to their original owners. The Raiders were on the market for some jobs and he wanted in. If all went well, then they would be paid handsomely for their services. He just prayed that he wasn't making a big mistake in doing the robbery.

**End of Chapter 1**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own StarCraft or The Antioch Chronicles. The former belongs solely to Blizzard Entertainment while the latter belongs to Auspex Turmalis and Zeus Legion.**

**Rated T for language and violence **

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**Chapter 2: Always Carry a Big Stick **

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**Nerazim Training Grounds  
Underground Caverns**

Heavy snow storms blew into the air, with gusts moving at high speed upon the surface of Rykos IV. While only the most hardened of criminals were sent to the Torus system, there were some delivered to the prison world to work as slaves. A small percentage of the prisoners would then be indoctrinated into the Reaper Corps to bolster the Dominion's forces. Rykos IV housed a complex that served as a supplement to the Icehouse in the Torus system, where newly arrived convicts would be introduced into the program's ruthless training regimen. Those that managed to pass would be issued new armor and weapons, and immediately dispatched to various hot spots in the Koprulu Sector in order to fight the enemy.

Harsh conditions made the planet an ideal place in which to 'educate' those who couldn't be converted through neural resocialization. It is known among the Dominion's armed forces as a graveyard fated for those who have dared to break the law. For others, it made an ideal hiding place.

Through the icy coldness, a group of four Protoss trained within the confines of a camp hidden beneath the surface. They are Dark Templar remnants from the Fist of Ulrezaj, a faction responsible for the deaths of a number of Khalai frozen in stasis when Zeratul and Artanis dispatched a task force to rescue survivors from Aiur during the United Earth Directorate's invasion.

All of the adepts were led by one warrior named Lornus, one of the most skilled and dangerous of the Nerazim renegades. He and his comrades were armed with a melee weapon, forged from the finest smiths of New Scion. Lornus' energies coiled within him, a culmination of the hate that swelled over many decades after the Conclave exiled the Nerazim. He was among the many disenfranchised with the fact that their own brethren gave sanctuary to the people that exiled them.

And he intended to put his rage at work by slaying a horde of Zerg that slowly gathered within the passages of the caverns.

Thirteen Hydralisks slithered around Lornus, his wrist-mounted weapons poised and ready. The shadow warrior glanced at his attackers, telegraphing what they intended to do next. He focused his psi-energies as his warp blades extended, the weapons lit with a white-blue glow. Lornus dashed forth and lunged his weapon into one of the creatures' chest cavity, blood spraying forth in a fountain as he retracted himself to re-engage another enemy.

The other Hydralisks supported their comrade by firing their spine needles at the elusive templar. Soon more Zerg unburrowed from under the ground to join the rest that engaged the Dark Templar. All of the Protoss shadow warriors held their ground despite the odds mounting against them. Bodies littered across the floor as Lornus and his allies brutally dismembered them with speed and ruthless efficiency.

Amidst the battle, a Hydralisk slithered forth in an aggressive posture. The serpent-like creature raised one of its arms, ready to strike down with its sickle-like blade on the Dark Templar before it froze in plaze. Its lower jaw split apart as it hissed and snarled, trying to break free of its invisible constraints. All of the other Zerg froze as well as they strugegled against the force that bounded them. Lornus felt a strong presence from behind, and turned to find a red cloud hovering near him and his brethren.

"What the -?" he whispered.

A distorted voice issued a command out of nowhere: "Stay your hand."

The remaining Hydralisk shrieked in agony as it was lit on fire by a psionic blast that came from the cloud. The red nimbus illuminated in an eerie glow, violent swirls of energy coiling beneath its feet. It soon took shape in the form of a heavily armored warrior, with arcs of lightning that sparked around its body. The entity's eyes glowed with deadly intent.

"All it takes is but a thought to stop them. Yet, in spite of that, the Zerg still persists to fight. They are indeed resilient creatures." the voice uttered. As it waved its hand, all of the insectoids died gruesome deaths in flaming bolts of energy, their pains echoed in high shrieks through the caverns. As they burned into ashes, the Protoss turned towards their teacher and leader, kneeling in respect to its presence. Afterwards, Lornus retracted his weapons and kneeled in front of the Dark Archon known as Ulrezaj: an entity that is the manifestation of pure hate it even brings the followers of the Khala to fear him.

"Master."

The leader of the Fist of Ulrezaj raised his hand. "Arise, my brethren."

All of the Nerazim assassins obeyed their teacher's command, standing tall with pride.

"What brings your visit here, Master?"

"For months we have hid underground, away from the prying eyes of our enemies" the Dark Archon spoke. "I have a tasking for you, one that requires wit and cunning."

"May I ask, for what purpose?"

"It is part of a long-term plan that I have set in motion to bring those Khalai fools to their knees and end their lives."

"We live only to serve, Master," Lornus closed his fist and raised it to his chest armor.

"Come then, I have much to tell."

The two then walked into a place where they spoke in private, and Ulrezaj explained his goals for the future.

* * *

**Bridge  
Raider Flagship **_**Hyperion**_

After a very extensive conversation with Hill, Raynor met up with his XO on the main bridge to discuss tactical matters on how to conduct the operation. It carried with it great risks, especially since the Raiders had a shortage on manpower and material, and they were going to need to use their abilities resources to the fullest if they expected to survive.

"So what do you think?" Raynor asked.

It only took a few seconds before Horner noted his objection. "I don't like it, sir. It looks like the Dominion's setting up a trap."

Raynor anticipated his response. "Neither do I. But we need the cash. This gig's offering plenty by the bucketloads. If all goes well, then we'll be better off than we were before."

"Even so, it'll be difficult considering the Dominion fleet has tight reins on the Tornod system," the _Hyperion_'s captain reasoned. "There's got to be a better way than this."

"Your objection's noted. We're still going on as planned."

"How?"

The ex-marshal stroked his chin before he gave his answer. "There might be someone who can help. The question is whether or not he's willing to do so."

Horner appeared intrigued, despite his opposition. "Who do you have in mind?"

Raynor simply smiled at the question.

* * *

**Auriga Shipyards  
Protoss Colony Kaladia Prime **

Turmalis never expected to return to outer space after the defeat of the Protoss forces above the surface of Char two years ago. The former governor of Antioch stood with his arms folded in front of him as he surveyed several spacecraft exiting from the Stargates positioned just outside of the Kaladia orbital station.

His head lolled to his left, watching the Stargates brighten as more warships teleported through, their hulls shining under gleaming beams of light within the confines of the structures. Carriers held orbit outside of the exit points of the rotating passages.

Three Arbiters warped through the gates, each escorting a fleet before deactivating their cloaking fields. The Arbiters that were part of the Protoss fleet were slowly being decommissioned from service. It left the former governor to ponder what would happen to the rest of the Judicatura since it was they who manned these particular vessel types.

After Turmalis' experience with the members of the New Brisbane mercenaries, formerly known as the Char Psi Reserve of the Kel-Morian Combine, he remained distrusting of Terrans in general. Their spontaneousness in their behavior made them unpredictable, making them a constant danger to his people. Since the Protoss' numbers were steadily decreasing, with the threat of extinction becoming more real with each passing day, he made it his priority to remain vigilant.

"Enter," he said.

The scribe named Khrillian stepped forth into the chamber, carrying his tome alongside him. While he appeared timid, those who served with him knew that he was an accomplished warrior and skilled flyer, able to best many unlucky Terran pilots that have dared to challenge him. Through the time in which the Protoss fought against renegade forces operated by the Combine, Khrillian acted alongside the Dark Templar assassin Moloch as one of his chief advisors during the campaign.

"Pardon the interruption, Judicator. I have news which I believe might be of interest to you."

"What is it, Khrillian?"

"One of our communications arrays detected an incoming subspace transmissions originating from a Terran ship. The commander named Raynor who wishes to speak with you."

Turmalis arched a brow at the mention of the name, who was recognized amongst the inner circle of the current Protoss leadership as a friend and brother. "James Raynor?

"One and the same. He indicated that he wanted the conversation with you in private."

Turmalis knew from personal meetings with Artanis that the human could be trusted. After all, Raynor fought alongside Tassadar and Zeratul on Char and Aiur, making him one of the few genuine allies that the Protoss could confide in during times of chaos. After a moment of consideration, he

"Very well, patch the signal through to the chamber."

"As you wish."

"En Taro Tassadar, Commander. How may we be of assistance?"

"En Taro Tassadar, Judicator. I'll get straight to the point. I understand the troops stationed in the Aegis system belonged to the Antioch contingent?"

"Yes, among others as well," Turmalis confirmed.

"I was wondering if I could have a few of your guys to assist us on a particular job we'll be undertaking."

"What exactly does the 'job' curtail?" the Judicator asked, a hint of concern accompanying his tone.

The rebel commander paused for a moment. "We're going to be stealing some high value cargo from the Dominion."

"For what purpose?"

"We're helping out one of the colonies that's oppressed by Mengsk's forces. They're short on food and medical supplies, which won't make it long before they submit to his authority. Word around the sector is that the Dominion's got ahold of a few artifacts of Xel'Naga origin. I'm thinking maybe you'd be interested in a business proposition I got for you."

The mention of the Protoss' ancestors caught the judicator's attention. "Please elaborate."

"In exchange for returning the artifacts, we get a monetary payment of say… 300,000 credits."

"As tempting as as the offer seems, I will have to confer with the Heirarchy on this matter. Perhaps we can schedule a meeting in person?" Turmalis inquired.

Raynor nodded in response. "In neutral territory, out of Dominion space."

"Very well then. I will contact our leadership and speak to them of your proposal. I will communicate with you again once a decision has been made."

The transmission between the two individuals terminated, and there was much the former governor had to do.

**End of Chapter 2 **


End file.
